The performance of Internet-based applications on mobile computing devices is affected by the capabilities of the underlying network technologies. To provide access to the Internet for applications on mobile devices, cellular wireless communication systems are widely deployed. Such systems may be multiple-access systems able to support communication with multiple users by sharing system resources such as bandwidth and transmission power. Commonly used multiple-access systems include, but are not limited to, Code-Division Multiple Access systems, Time-Division Multiple Access systems, Frequency-Division Multiple Access, 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution systems, Long Term Evolution Advanced systems, Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access systems, and the like.
Additionally or alternatively, a mobile computing device may connect to data communications networks via a WLAN. Example WLAN networks include, but are not limited to, WiFi networks, home WLANs, WLAN hotspots, public WLANs, private WLANs, and the like.
With an increasing number of mobile computing devices featuring WLAN-connectivity capability and with access to WLAN networks becoming more widely available, offloading data capabilities from a cellular network to a WLAN has emerged as an attractive feature for both cellular network operators and users. To that end, methods for offloading data capabilities by handing over the connection from the cellular network to a WLAN, or “connection handover methods,” are used. A connection handover method may be used to establish a connection with a WLAN while disconnecting from a cellular network.